KIRKLAND – Northwest got a pair of goals from Claire Jo Diede and the game winner from Elizabeth Moretti in a 3-0 season-opening win over Fraser Valley on Friday.
 
"I am really proud of the way we played today," said NU Head Coach Bryan Chud. "The energy and commitment were there from the start, and we were very well organized defensively, which we knew we would have to be against a team like Fraser Valley who are always well set up."
 
Moretti got the game winner in the 13th minute, following up on a shot by Diede that the UFV keeper couldn't corral after a beautiful pass from Kayla Soderstrom.
 
That score stood through the rest of the first half.
 
Diede gave the Eagles a cushion in the 49th minute, scoring off an assist by Gracie VanAssche.
 
Diede got the brace, driving home a goal off a free kick assist from Colette Liston in the 67th minute.
 
Northwest's defense was stellar, allowing only one shot in the first half. Freshman Hanne Breur turned in her first clean sheet with three second-half saves, staving off three well-played shots.
 
"We scored three good goals, and the defense and Hanne played with focus and desire to maintain the clean sheet," said Chud.
 
The Eagles outshot Fraser Valley 12-8 for the game. Moretti and Diede had three shots each, with Kayla Soderstrom adding two. Diede and Moretti had two shots on goal each. Rachel Russell and Karli Peterson also had shots on goal. 
 
The season-opening win marks the first game one victory for the Eagles since 2019 and the first win in three tries against the Cascades.
 
"We won't get too carried away with the result, but it definitely shows that we are moving in the right direction and should give us confidence going forward," Chud said.
 
Now 1-0, Northwest scrimmages at North Idaho on Saturday and plays its next counting game at George Fox on Monday.